Notes on helpful things I learned or was reminded of while writing these sentences:

❶ In cases where in English we would add the -est ending to a word (or have a variant meaning a similar thing, i.e. fastest, best, most fun), the word 最 (zui4) is used in Mandarin Chinese. In this sentence, adding it to the other word/character 後 (hou4), which means “after” or “at the back of”, it means “at last” or “finally,” in the sense of “the most after.”

❷ There are three phrases typically used to mean “about” “almost” or “close to.” They are 差不多 (cha4 bu4 duo1), 快 (kuai4), and 幾乎 (ji1 hu1). The first two are what is used in speech most. 快 (kuai4) is also the word meaning “fast,” and is ironically faster to say in comparison to the other phrases.

❸ The pronouns he, she, it (alive non-human), and it (inanimate object) may all sound alike when spoken, but it is very important to get them correct in writing.

他 (ta1) he, gender inclusive

她 (ta1) she

牠 (ta1) it, alive but not human

它 (ta1) it, not alive, an object, like my hair

❹ Here the core word 亂 (luan4) of the adjective [identified by the ending 的 (de.)] is doubled, as is often done in speaking Chinese, for both rhythm and playful emphasis.

❺ It is common for words to be condensed, especially in speech and if the context if already understood. Thus, while the full word for “curly hair” is 卷頭髮 (juan3 tou1 fa3), it is later shortened to 卷髮 (juan3 fa3), because it has been established that we are talking about the hair on my head.